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5/12/2012

How To: Salvaged Plate Mirrors

I am a sucker old tea cups and saucers and have accumulated lots of great mismatches over the years. Using old jewelry findings, small circular mirrors and some glue you can create some very romantic looking wall mirrors.

2. Small round mirrors. You can find these in craft stores or recycle them from old make up compacts.

3. Jewelry findings. Gather old junk jewelry from your grandma, or get the broken bits for a low price at thrift/antique shops. Businesses will thank you for pushing broken or mismatched items out of their store. PS: You may need some pliers and cutter too.

4. Strong Glue. I use Weldbond. I have only found it in specialty glass shops that offer supplies for mosaics in the USA. Otherwise you may have order it online. There are plenty of other glues that will work, BUT Weldbond is fume free, dries clear and is just as strong as toxic glues.
Plate hangers. You can find these at craft stores as well, but I will show you two alternatives using household items.

STEPS:

1. Clean the surface of the plate and lightly sand the back of the mirror

2. Add a thin layer of glue to the back of the mirror and a little dab in the middle of the plate
Center the mirror on the plate.

3. Pipe a thin line of glue around the mirror and use heavy chain or ribbon to frame it.

4. Add two of three baubles, like old brooches of single earrings.Tip: Find chain and baubles that pull a color or match the metallic accents on your plate. Having a color theme will unify the piece.

5. Add a plate hanger and hang OR use a bent paper clip or soda tab as a hanging device. This works best with light weight or smaller plates. Dab some glue on the plate. Hold the clip or tab against the plate a cover the parts that need to touch the plate with glue.

These examples are pretty frilly and girly. It would be fun to see something really modern, or themed to a particular decade as well. Do it and post it here!